First Snapchat, now Twitter… Instagram seems to have an increasing interest in adapting features similar to its fellow social media apps, as they are testing a feature amongst a select number of users which mimics the popular ‘quote tweet’ feature created by Twitter.
In a nutshell, the feature allows trial users to share posts that aren’t their own on their stories, and add commentary of their own. Instagram confirmed the new feature on TechCrunch – “You can tap to change the design to highlight or downplay the post’s author, move and resize it within your Story post, and add commentary or imagery using Instagram’s creative tools,” said their spokesperson.
They also stated that they are “always testing ways to make it easier to share any moment with friends on Instagram.” This is a fairly new outlook for the platform, as they have never officially provided a ‘regram’ feature that hasn’t involved using various sketchy third-party apps, but not everyone may approach this with a positive attitude….
Undoubtedly, there will be some controversy surrounding the feature – yes, ‘quoting’ could help bring more attention to aspiring Instagram influencers and bloggers, but there is always the underlying danger of a tool like this being potentially misused and construed as bullying on social media.
There are concerns that followers will be able to openly share others’ posts on one of the most popular social media apps in the world, and as we’ve seen from past experiences, people are certainly not afraid to use their words for harm online.
Thankfully, however, the feature can also be disabled in your settings and isn’t available for posts made by private accounts…